Football season is just around the corner, and the Drumheller Titans are already looking toward the fall.
The Senior Titans are mustering for the season on August 16 and will be out practicing. Their first game is in Brooks on August 25, and they are on the hunt to be back on top of the league, if not the province.
“We have a big turnover of players, but that is not a bad thing. That is the nice thing about football, every player has a different style and abilities, so we are feeling fairly good about what we are going to be capable of doing,” said coach Ken Fournier.
The Senior Titans will be playing in a rejuvenated Big Sky Conference.
Their main rivals from Canmore and Olds are in the league, as well as Claresholm, Carstairs and High River.
“That is why we all did an exhibition season last year, so we could sit back and create a scenario where new and developing Tier IV teams had appropriate games where they could play,” said Fournier. “That is why we took a step back and all entered Big Sky Conference this year.”
The teams will probably be a mix of Tier III and Tier IV teams, and that will filter out after league play when it comes to provincial play. The new league offers some advantages.
“We are really excited to have more Tier IV teams, and have more geographically close teams,” said Fournier. “It definitely takes a lot off my plate because scheduling an entire season on the fly is not easy.”
He says they have high hopes for the season, especially looking at the success of the Jamboree season.
“We had a good spring. We kind of looked back and simplified what we did this spring. We didn’t introduce too much new stuff, we just refined and adjusted what we were doing well,” said Fournier. “We took some stuff out that we didn’t like last year.
“What we see this fall is a well-balanced offensive attack, and I think we will see a little bit of different defense this year.”

A young girl with roots in the valley has competed with the world in jump rope.
Brooklyn Hautzinger, 13, is the daughter of Dan and Bailey and granddaughter of Blair and Patty. She is a member of the Camrose Spirals. The jump rope club has been in operation for 30 years, and this year sent nine athletes to the International Jump Rope Union 2023 World Championships in Colorado Springs on Team Canada.
Brooklyn was one of six athletes competing in the 12-15 female division. The team competes in team events, including single rope speed, double Dutch speed, single rope freestyle and double Dutch freestyle.
“We have been working very hard for the past 11 months. I am so excited to have this opportunity of a lifetime to share with my team and coach. Whether we win or lose, we are so proud of ourselves for getting here,” said Brooklyn prior to the event.
The team qualified in a total of eight events to be eligible to vie for the all-around team.
The girls finished 11th in their double Dutch freestyle.

To get to this level the team has been training for 11 months practicing three nights a week.
To qualify for this competition, the athletes submitted videos of their events to be reviewed and adjudicated.
Jump Rope is an organized sport that combines elements of aerobics, synchronized dance, gymnastics and break dancing, all tied together with a jump rope. The Sprials compete provincially, nationally and internationally, and perform many demonstrations throughout the community.

“I have loved watching them come together and creating a strong, dedicated team who pushes and encourages each other, all while having amazing attitudes and a passion for the sport. They are an amazing team,” said head coach Jodi Bogstie.